Ethan Has a Choice
Ethan looked at me.
Then at his mother.
Then at his father.
For six days, I had waited for him to choose.
Now I realized something.
He couldn’t choose me unless he first learned how to choose himself.
“Ethan,” I said quietly, “you have a choice to make.”
He looked at me.
“And this time, you have to make it without your mother telling you what to do.”
Lena shook her head.
“Don’t listen to her.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Mom…”
“You know how much I’ve done for you.”
“I know.”
“I gave you everything.”
“I know.”
“Then how can you do this to me?”
Ethan opened his eyes.
“This isn’t me doing something to you.”
His voice cracked.
“This is me finally seeing what you’ve been doing to us.”
Lena stared at him.
Richard leaned back.
He said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
Ethan stood.
“I’m sorry, Avery.”
I waited.
“I should have protected our marriage.”
“Yes,” I said.
“I should never have told Mom those things.”
“No.”
“I should have stopped her the first time.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
Then he turned toward his mother.
“I need you to leave.”
Lena looked stunned.
“Ethan?”
“I need you to leave.”
She looked at Richard.
“Are you going to let him talk to me like this?”
Richard answered quietly.
“He’s not a child anymore.”
Lena’s face collapsed.
She grabbed her purse and walked away.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Richard looked at me.
“Go pack.”
I nodded.
“Are you leaving too?”
He smiled sadly.
“Not tonight.”
